06 July 2009

The Upsides and Downsides to Living in Small Towns

A community of interest gathers at Stonehenge,...Image via Wikipedia

By Chuck R Stewart

Living in a small community can be the perfect fit for some people, and not work for other people at all. The suburban houses with Richardson fence look quaint and adorable to some and disgusting and robotic to others. Living in such a community, with a big house and a fence in Plano Texas has its pros and cons. It is a great area to raise children. Good schooling, safe areas and lots of playmates are available. The people often spend time together as a community, building lasting friendships. On the other hand, areas like this have a tendency to shelter themselves from the real world. Some people can't handle this factor. It can also send those who have lived there for their entire lives into a culture shock when they leave.

Bringing up families in small, close-knit towns seems beneficial to most parents. Kidscan be raised in a well structured and safe community. Most small communities have good school systems. So children receive a top-notch education with no extra price other than living. Also, most families in the area have children, so there are play-mates galore. Children build lasting friendships with next-door neighbors in small towns. It is a luxury to be so close to their peers while growing up.

Also, moms and dads benefit from the close relation to other families. Often, since they are smaller and nicer, the adults have lots of groups and clubs that they can meet other parents through. Men get together for things like poker, father-son lacrosse leagues, and basketball. Women can start gardening or book clubs, babysitter circles, and exercise groups. Also, things like traveling dinners are popular. A traveling dinner is when a group of couples go to each others houses for different courses of a meal throughout the night. The availability for these types of adult activities creates lasting friendships for the parents in the community.

However, some people dont like small towns because they are not very in-touch with reality. The perfection and good fortune that surround the children often gives them a twisted view of the world. Also, the fact that most people in these areas are wealthy contributes to the childrens misinterpretation of life. Some find this annoying if they have not lived there their entire lives. Also, when kids leave for college and things they often experience a big culture shock. Being thrown into the real world after growing up in the clean, well groomed society they were used to is a big change.

Small towns are both good in bad at the same time. A lot of the people who live in them will testify that it is a perfect place to live, and those who don't live there will tell you differently. They dont fit all personalities. Raising children in small towns can be an ideal situation. Schools are good, there are lots of similar families and it is a safe area. Also, adults find themselves very social and involved in these tighter-knitted communities. Some people feel that small town have a tendency shelter their inhabitants from the real world. Some feel very at home in a small town, where as some feel estranged.

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